Fractured Mask
by BK27
Summary: Princess Inoue is fascinated by hollows. When she finds a peculiar looking orange haired hollow, she stops at nothing to find out more about this mysterious creature.
1. Chapter 1

**Fractured Mask**

"Lady Inoue! Lady Inoue, get back here!"

Orihime was running. Her wooden sandals making quite the racket on the stone floor. She was out of breath, but she wanted to see. She wanted to know what was in that dungeon. She overheard guards saying there were hollows in there. She had only seen a handful in her life, and never this close. Just a peek. Even if it was for a second. Her childlike curiosity was all she was relying on now. She slowed to catch her breath as she stood in front of the large wooden door leading down to the first level of dungeons. The first level was for the humans. The second level was for the hollows. She inhaled sharply and held it, then ran down the stairs until she reached the first level. She didn't even glance at the prisoners as she halted in front of the second wooden door. She trembled as she pulled open the door. She slowly moved to the first step when a hand grabbed her wrist and held her back.

"Did you not hear me? I said get back here. Do you want to get killed?"

Orihime glanced over her shoulder to see her head maid and best friend Tatsuki giving her the most terrifying eyes she had ever seen.

"I just want a peak Tatsuki-chan. Please, let me just take a look."

"Are you crazy? Do you know what's down there?"

Orihime pulled her wrist away. "Of course I know. There are locked up hollows down there."

Tatsuki leaned in. "Why do you want to see them? You've seen them before."

"I know, but not this close. Please, just let me have a quick look and I promise I won't come back."

Tatsuki sighed. "I know you have your mind set on this and won't stop until you see them, so fine. Just a glance, and let me get a guard."

"Oh, sure, of course."

Orihime glanced down at her reddened wrist where Tatsuki had grabbed. She stood in silence until Tatsuki returned with two guards. All four went down the narrow steps and stepped into the second dungeon. This one had even less light and had a putrid smell. Orihime covered her mouth and slowly walked towards the cells. A guard handed her a torch and she slowly walked past the cells. The hollows' masks shined against the torch's light. Some gave the signature roar, though it was a lot softer than what she had heard before. The hollows all seemed to be aware of her as she landed on the last cell. The torch's light shined on something that wasn't white, but rather orange. Orihime walked closer to the cell and held up the torch. She put her hand on the bar to steady herself. Suddenly, it moved. She twitched and pulled the torch back. After a moment, she brought the light through the bar and tried to illuminate what was inside. She saw it was sitting on the floor and was smaller than the other hollows. Then, it raised it's head. She was in shock by what she saw. On one side of the face was a black and yellow eye with the distinctive white mask, but on the other side, a soft brown eye looked back at her with no mask. She was so stunned, she didn't hear the calls of the guards to get back. She snapped out of it and spun around.

"This one looks human!" She turned and faced it again. "Um, hello? Can you understand me? My name's Orihime Inoue. What's your name?"

"Come on Lady Inoue. That's enough." Tatsuki said.

"He has a human face though! Please let me stay and talk to him."

Tatsuki pulled on her wrist again. "It's time to go."

"Very well." Orihime sighed and handed the torch back to the guard. As she was starting to walk away, he spoke.

"Kurosaki." His voice was scratchy and deep, but the name was still clear enough. Orihime turned around, but was led down the hall. She looked back as he faded back into darkness. Who was this Kurosaki, and how did he get to be in such a state?

Back in the palace, Orihime decided to ask her brother, the King, what exactly was going on. She stormed into the throne room and met several startled maids along the way to the throne. "Nii-san! Why is there a human in the hollow dungeon?" The maids all gasped.

Sora sat up from his crouched position. "Maids, you may all go. I need to speak with my sister alone." All the servants flew out the door and quietly closed the door behind them. Orihime looked back and gave her brother her best scowl.

"So, why is there a human in the hollow dungeon?"

"He's not human sister."

She blinked. "Then what is he?"

"He's half human and half hollow. His mother was possessed by a hollow when she got pregnant, so when he was born, he was half hollow. I'm sorry sister. He is a dangerous creature and needs to stay down there."

"He's still half human! Can't we talk to him and reason with him? Maybe then he can at least go to the human dungeon."

Sora shifted. "Why are you so interested in him?"

"I...I don't know. I've never seen behind the mask of a hollow before. Did he have the mask his whole life?"

"No actually. He rarely has the mask. I'm surprised he did when you saw him." Sora sighed. "His name's Ichigo Kurosaki. His father is a nobleman, but after Ichigo's mother died when he was 9, he began to slowly show more signs of being a hollow. One day, he went on a rampage and killed many soldiers before being restrained. He's been in that dungeon since.

Orihime fell to her knees. "You mean he's been in there since he was 9?! How long ago was that event?"

Sora thought for a moment. "About 10 years I'd say."

Orihime's hands went over her mouth as she began to weep. "That's horrible. Can't we bring him to the other dungeon? Does he get enough food and water?"

"Orihime, you know that all the humans and hollows get enough to sustain them. They all need to be ready when the labs need to experiment." Orihime's sobs increased. "So you want Kurosaki to be moved to the human cells? That's all?" Orihime looked up. "We have to watch out for ceros, but the last cell in the dungeon is tested to withstand ceros. If that's all you want to have done, I can arrange that." Orihime leaped up and hugged her brother. He chuckled and held her shoulder.

"This is why the kingdom is flourishing brother. It's because you're so understanding and caring. I love you! Thank you!" She hugged him tighter until he had to ask her to stop. She thanked him again and skipped out of the throne room. Sora leaned back and summoned guards to enter. He asked that they move Ichigo to the last cell in the upper dungeon. All the guards were uneasy as he spoke.

"Is there a problem?"

"Well sir, Kurosaki is very intense and he may take us all down in the process of moving him. I suggest sir that we sedate him."

"Very well. Do what you need to." The guards all bowed and walked out. Sora wondered what was going to happen from here. He knew his sister would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. He thought for a second how technically Ichigo was a noble and could marry Orihime without breaking tradition. He shook his head and smacked his cheeks lightly with his hands. "No, no. He is a monster."

Sora groaned and leaned over. This was going to get interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

Every day for the next week, Orihime could be found in the library. Her head spinning with facts and information on hollows. Anything she could find was swiftly swept into her mind. She wanted to learn everything she could. Above everything else, she wanted to be able to find out as much information as she could about humans being born hollow. She was able to find a few cases, but the accounts always ended with the half hollow half human being locked away. There was never any information on what happened to them. She closed her eyes tightly and slammed the last book shut. "He is not going to be like them!" She yelled before standing up and briskly walking out the door. She was told that work was being done on the cell that Ichigo was to be using and will be ready for him later that day. She stomped to the office just outside the door to the dungeon. She stopped abruptly and listened as the sounds of workers made her wonder what was being done. A man came out the door wiping his brow. He stopped as soon as he saw Orihime.

"Your majesty." He bowed to her. "What are you doing here?"

"How are the repairs coming along?"

"Ma'am, everything is near completion. It will be ready for his transfer later today."

"What exactly is going on in there?"

"Well ma'am, His Majesty decided that a separate area should be made for him." He paused. "If he is ever released, the new cell can be used to hold the more aggressive criminals. It has been given extra attention and has been separated by a brick wall from the other cells. We are just cleaning up now. I hear the half hollow has been let out with the other human inmates into the area outside where they can sit or exercise. Once they are all let in and done showering, his cell should be ready. Sorry milady, but I need to get back."

She smiled. "Of course. Thank you for the information. Good day." He bowed to her and went back inside. She looked over and saw that the office's window showed into the outdoor area that the inmates were at. She pulled up a chair and sat next to the window. She peered out and immediately spotted him. He was doing pullups with no one else around him. She noticed right away that he didn't have his mask and looked completely human. She then noticed he was shirtless. She stared in awe for a moment before blushing and turning away. A few moments later, she looked again and saw that he had dropped from the bar and was wiping his face with a towel. When the towel came down, his gaze was set on her. Though he was a good distance from her, she felt those eyes. She shrieked and turned away quickly again. She calmed herself and stood up. She looked out the window one more time and noticed he started doing pullups again. She then wondered where all the other inmates were. She looked to the left and saw the rest of the men sitting or exercising on the opposite end of the area. She wondered if they were afraid of him or he was just wanting to be alone. She walked away and desperately wanted it to be the afternoon so she could visit him.

She spent the next few hours nervously pacing in her room and began to finish work on a scarf she was making. She knew that the dungeon can be cold in the winter, so she altered her work with the intent of giving it to Ichigo rather than her brother. She nearly dropped her needle when Tatsuki came in to let her know that Ichigo was in his cell now and she could visit. She ran past Tatsuki without even a second look. Tatsuki looked at her. "What's gotten into you?" She had to nearly sprint to catch up to her. Just as Tatsuki was about to catch up, Orihime quickly halted, causing Tatsuki to almost crash into her. "What is it?"

Orihime flew around. "I need to bring him a gift basket!"

"What?"

"Kurosaki-kun needs books to read and fresh food to eat. Oh maybe I should get him a cushion to sit on."

"Orihime, he's been sitting in that dungeon for ten years. I think another day without something to read won't kill him." She saw the look on her face. "If you want, we can gather a few things."

"Great!" She hugged her friend and they walked into the kitchen to prepare. Orihime decided on books about history, especially from the last decade. She also found a few fiction books that seemed interesting. She put it in a basket with a cushion she found, a few apples, and the other books. She cut the top of the basket so she could fit it through the bars, since she knew no soldier would dare open the door. They walked into the office before the dungeon and were greeted by two guards, who Orihime learned were also soldiers in the country's military.

"You sure you want to do this milady?" The tall red haired soldier asked.

"I would have to agree with Renji here on this one princess. He is too dangerous and going in alone never brings anything good."

Orihime shook her head. "Don't worry Kuchiki-san, I'll be fine. You two are right outside the door anyway, so if you hear me scream, you can come running, right?"

Both guards looked at each other. "Good luck I guess." Renji nodded to Orihime as he held open the door for her.

"I'll be right outside too if you need me." Tatsuki called out to her as the door closed.

Orihime took a deep breath and walked down the stairs. As she entered the first dungeon, she noticed that there was now a new brick wall that created a hallway towards Ichigo's cell. There was a new door that would now be the opening to the other part of the dungeon. She noted the difference and walked on. As she came closer to his cell, she noticed how thick the cell bars were. There was still a small window on two of the walls and the other sides were covered in brick and bars. She arrived at the cell and unfolded the cushion that was under her arm and sat down on the floor on the left side near the bars. She took everything out of the basket and rotated the basket so it fit through the bars. She then reached in and put everything back. She noticed that Ichigo was still sitting on the floor despite the bed that was now available. He looked up at her as she pulled her hand away after placing the last item in the basket. She shifted towards him and smiled. "Hello Kurosaki-kun. I brought you a few items. There's a cushion to sit on like this one, some apples, and most importantly, some books to read. I hope you remember how to read. If there are any words that you don't know or don't remember, please let me know. There are a few fiction novels and some history books on the last decade so you can get caught up." She saw him shift towards her and she pulled back a bit from the bars. He then laid his back on the floor and began doing sit ups. He was still facing her, but was now doing the sit ups faster and he seemed to not be thinking about stopping. She just sat and watched him for a moment, then she pulled her legs up to her chest and held her arms around her legs. She laid her head down on her knees and looked at him as he continued to do sit ups. "There really isn't anything to talk about. My brother told me all there is about you I guess up until you were locked up. I just wanted to ask one thing. When I first saw you, why were you with a mask on? I was told you rarely bring out the mask."

Ichigo stopped the sit ups and moved back into a sitting position. "Danger."

"Oh. Did you sense something from one of the other hollows?" He nodded. "I see. Well, you should be fairly well guarded here and it looks like everyone keeps their distance from you anyway." He looked at her funny. "What is it?"

"You were in danger."

She took a quick breath in. "I was? All of the hollows were locked up though."

"Precaution."

"Oh." She laughed nervously. "Thanks."

He looked at the basket and moved closer. He finally arrived at it and took out the cushion. He placed it under him. She saw the look in his eyes. "Much better isn't it?" She smiled as he seemed to enjoy the new feeling. He then pulled out a book and began to read. She gave him a few moments then asked. "Do you remember how to read?" He nodded, but his eyes were still set on the book. "Well I should go for now. I can stop by again. If you need anything else, let me know." She pulled herself up and grabbed the cushion, but let it drop out of her hand. She decided to leave it. She waved at Ichigo and turned around to walk away.

"Princess." She froze. The name sent a million butterflies aflutter in her stomach. She slowly turned around. He looked right into her eyes and gave what looked to be an attempt at a smile. "Thank you."

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Note: Thank you for the reviews! I will be updating randomly.


	3. Chapter 3

Orihime rolled around in bed. Her head was filled with thoughts of the mysterious man only the next floor down. She felt his piercing eyes devour her, and she wanted him to. She wanted to know all she could. She opened her eyes and looked blankly at the ceiling. What had she gotten herself in to? What if he breaks out and kills everyone in the castle for leaving him to rot in that dungeon? What would he do with her? Would her kindness be any reason to not kill her? Sweat began to bead on her forehead as she continued to conjure up various situations. She rolled herself out of bed and put on her robe. She took a candle and moved slowly in the chilled hallway towards her brother's room. She met the guards at the door and they held the door open for her. She tip toed in and placed the candle on the night stand.

"Sora, are you awake?"

"Now I am."

"Oh sorry, I just can't sleep."

Sora smiled and sat up. "This feels like when we were kids. Hate to say it Hime, but this is quite nice and nostalgic." He motioned to have her sit on the edge of the bed. She sat and leaned over and hugged her brother. "You keep thinking about Kurosaki, don't you?" She pulled the blankets towards her face and groaned. "I thought this might happen. I'll be honest with you, I've been thinking about making him a soldier." Orihime shot her face up from the bed.

"Really?!"

"Hush Hime. It was just a thought. Between us, there might be a use for his powers. You heard the rumors about a gang to the north displaying hollow-like powers, but looking like humans?" She nodded. "I think it might be Aizen collecting half human, half hollows."

Orihime sat up. "I thought that too. Deep down I was hoping Kurosaki-kun would be a soldier too so that he could fight outside and no longer be caged up."

"Orihime, he killed his entire family and almost 20 soldiers and civilians when he was 9. He needed to atone for his sins."

"Isn't living in hell with hollows enough?"

"He is very unstable. You have to always remember that."

"I would be too if I was left with those things. He should've been in the human dungeon if at all."

Sora cleared his throat. "I had another reason for allowing you to see him. I think you may be able to stabilize him and ready him for life outside the dungeon."

Orihime looked at him in shock. "What if I don't succeed? Then it's partially my fault if he goes on another rampage? Would you send me to the dungeon then?"

"Calm down sister. No one would blame you for anything or send you anywhere."

"What makes you so sure?" Orihime's face now red.

"Because I'm the King sister. What I say is what is done. I know I'm giving you a lot of responsibility, but I really think we can use him in the upcoming fight."

"Why can't you just talk to Aizen?"

"You know how he is. He's always wanted the throne, though it was never going to be his since he was adopted into our family and was not of noble blood. He seems to always forget these things and can never be told otherwise." Orihime's cheeks turned normal again and she laid down again, leaning against Sora's shoulder.

"I should get back to bed. I have a lot to think about now."

"Very well. Good night Orihime. Sleep well."

She chuckled. "I'll try."

The next morning, Orihime woke and immediately felt the weight of her responsibility bring her down. She just wanted to stay in bed all day. There was nothing anyone could say that would get her out of bed. At least that's what she thought. A knock came at her door. "Come in. Oh, hi Tatsuki-chan. What is it?"

"Ichigo would like to speak to you." Orihime shot out of bed and started towards the door. "Orihime, at least get dressed before you see him! Or better yet, don't get dressed. I bet he'd like that seeing as how he's never seen a woman nearly naked before I'm sure."

Orihime covered herself in her robe. "Tatsuki-chan, that's mean. I'll change right away. Can you help me?"

"Of course."

As they were getting Orihime ready, Tatsuki took a lot longer to button Orihime's dress. "Are you alright?"

"I am. It's just." She exhaled deeply. "I don't want you to get hurt. I worry so much about you when you're with him that I can't sleep."

"It's alright. You don't have to worry about me. He said that when I first saw him, he had his mask on as a precaution because he felt the hollows' malice towards me. He was doing it to protect me."

Tatsuki stopped. "He said that? He probably just made some excuse and lied to you."

"Why do you think that?"

"Uh, because he's a monster."

"He's not! Now please button faster, I have to go see him right away."

They remained in silence until Orihime came to the dungeon door again. Tatsuki gave her a hug and apologized. Orihime walked briskly until she got to his cell. She was surprised to see him standing. He looked up from his book and then turned back a few pages until he found the page he was looking for. He walked slowly over to her. Her heart raced as he was now mere steps away from her. He turned the book around and pointed to a word. It was intermittent. "Oh, intermittent? That means on and off. An example would be the frogs give intermittent croaks through the night. Is that why you called me down here?" He nodded. "I see. Well, can I still sit here with you?" he nodded again and brought the book back to him. She noticed through the dim light something dark on his hand. "Can I see your right hand?" He brought it over and as soon as she grabbed it, she could feel his body tense up. Ignoring the butterfly party in her stomach, she looked closer. "You cut yourself! Let me get you a bandage."

"I'm fine."

"No you're not. You need to be in optimal health if you're going to be a soldier." She covered her mouth with her hand.

"Soldier?"

"Oh no, I'm sure Sora didn't want me to tell anyone. Oh nevermind Kurosaki-kun. Let's talk about something else." He put the book down and moved to stand right in front of her.

"Let's talk about me being a soldier."

"Would you really want something like that?"

"Yes."

"You would just run off and probably go on some rampage again, wouldn't you?"

His voice deepened. "Maybe, maybe not."

"Well that's reassuring." She lifted up her skirt and tore a piece of her underskirt.

"Princess?"

"Give me your hand again." She dumped some of the water she had over it and then wrapped it tight. "There, that should do." Ichigo stood and stared at her for a moment, then looked down at his hand.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Well, the secret's out. I might as well tell you." She sat down and relayed everything. Ichigo pulled up his cushion and sat by her. "Do you think you would be able to stay loyal to us and not run off?"

"I can."

"There we go again."

"I can't always control my power. I may end up hurting someone by accident." Ichigo looked over to see Orihime's mouth open and eyes wide.

"That's the most I've ever heard you speak."

"Reading helped."

"Good."

Just then, a loud noise was heard underneath them. They could feel crashing all around them and the other prisoners causing a commotion. Ichigo slowly stood up while Orihime was fixated on the door. She stood up quickly as it seemed the noises were getting closer. She glanced over and saw Ichigo's mask. "Kurosa..."

"Stay there."

She stood motionless as the hollow burst in through the door, knocking bricks down and wiggling its way through heading straight for her. She was too scared to even scream. As the hollow neared her, she could feel heat and a burst of wind. She looked over just in time to see Ichigo shoot a cero, completely destroying it. It's charred remains falling to the floor. Orihime leaned against the bars. "Are you alright, Princess?" She looked over and saw that he was again without a mask. She only nodded as her eyes refused to blink. "Are you sure?" She began to tear up and pulled Ichigo through the bars in the best hug she could manage. He slowly reached through the bars and held her gently.

"Thank you Kurosaki-kun."


	4. Chapter 4

She lifted her arms and pulled away from the bars. She could still feel where the bars were pressed against her. "This feeling, what is it?" She wondered. "Is it love? Gratitude? Anxiety? All three?" She looked up to his face, but he was not looking at her. She turned around and watched as the guards stormed the area and headed downstairs. She held her hand on the bar behind her back. She almost felt like her knees were going to give out, so she wanted to remain steady. She could feel something warm around her hand. She realized rather quickly that it was Ichigo's hand, wrapping itself around the bar as well. She saw Tatsuki break through the guards and rush towards her.

"Orihime, are you alright?!" Tatsuki ran around the pile of ashes and wrapped her arms around Orihime.

"I'm fine Tatsuki-chan. Kurosaki-kun saved me." Tatsuki pulled away slightly and looked up at the man now looking at her.

"Uh, thanks."

Ichigo nodded and pulled away from the bars. He found his spot on the floor and picked up a book. Orihime felt saddened by the loss of contact, but was soon swept back up into Tatsuki's arms. She was led out. As she crossed the pile of ashes, she looked back towards the cell. Ichigo was still reading. She looked away in what felt like disappointment. After she left, the guards Rukia and Renji came storming in. They looked around briefly, following the trail of damage until they both looked down to the ashes. Rukia chuckled.

"You used a cero didn't you?" Ichigo remained silently reading. "You could've hurt the princess. It would've been a very easy trip to the gallows if she were to get hurt."

Ichigo closed his book loudly and stood up. He walked over to the bars and held them with both hands. "I know the risk. I also know the reward. She's fine isn't she?" A stare down was underway between the soldiers and the half human. After a few moments, Rukia looked away and pulled on Renji's arm to go. They left him making small talk about the repairs. Ichigo held his head low while still gripping the bars. He cursed to himself and felt the weight of possibility as he thought how bad it would've been if he had hurt her. He turned around and picked up a book about hollows. He decided to learn as much as he could so that he could better control his power. He pushed the other book aside and decided that this would be a good book to read before bed. He would later regret this decision as his dreams that night were of a screaming princess, fire, and hollows. He burst out of bed in a cold sweat. The sweat dripping from his face as he sat up trying to slow his quickened breathing. The walls began to spin, so he fell back onto the bed. He groaned and put his arm over his eyes. He counted to five a few times while breathing in and out to calm himself. "This feeling, what is it? Is it love? Gratitude? Anxiety? All three?" He pondered until he was able to drift off into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning, Orihime was called into the dining area to have a special breakfast with her brother. She was dressed quickly and ran to the dining area. Once she arrived, she could smell the familiar smells of her favorite pastries. Her mouth watered as she walked in. "Don't get any drool on the floor sister." Orihime stopped walking and reached for a cloth napkin to wipe her mouth. She was rather embarrassed, but the only ones inside were close servants and her family, so she giggled loudly and took her seat next to Sora. "Did you sleep well? Sora took a small sip of his coffee.

"I did. I thought I was going to sleep horribly, but I didn't. It was nice." She smiled as she sipped her breakfast tea.

"Do you think you slept well because you know that someone will protect you?"

She blushed, but looked at Sora with a confused look on her face. "I've always felt protected here. I don't see how one incident could make me feel that much different."

Sora smiled and drank his coffee. "Maybe I was mistaken." He set the cup down. "Is Kurosaki making good progress in stabilizing?"

"Oh yes. He is talking in full sentences now!" She felt a little too enthusiastic with the statement. "I mean, he really does enjoy reading, and I think having the knowledge and information that he has at his disposal, I think he can easily steady his brain. You should have seen it. One second he is a hollow and shooting a cero, the next he's sitting down reading a book."

"Yes, I do have to thank him properly for saving your life." He shifted and turned his head toward the door. "Shinji, would you mind getting Mr. Kurosaki so that he can attend breakfast with us?"

Orihime nearly chocked on her pastry. "Nii-san! What are you doing?!"

Sora shifted back towards Orihime. "I'm wanting to thank him properly. Please take care chewing. You do not want to choke." Orihime swallowed the pastry and gulped down her tea. Her hands were shaking and she could barely hold the tea cup. She was not expecting Ichigo to be let out, and certainly not for saving her. She just thought he'd be sent word that he'd be experimented on less as thanks.

"He's dirty though from being in his cell. Don't you want him to at least have time to take a shower and change?"

"Oh he's had help getting ready. I made sure he looked proper." Sora smirked behind his cup as he finished his coffee and took an apple from the fruit bowl. A knock came on the door. "Yes, please come in." The door opened and Orihime held her breath while she contemplated looking towards the door. She finally gave in and looked. He was even more handsome than she had known. Now that he was in the light, she could see him properly. He was shaved, his hair cut, his clothes neatly ironed and worn so well on his broad shoulders. She could have sworn she was drooling again. She cleared her throat and held up her napkin, just in case. He glided in her eyes in some kind of fog or mist. Like he was a spirit. She stood up as soon as Sora did. "Ichigo Kurosaki, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." Ichigo stood next to the table and bowed properly.

Orihime stood dumbfounded. "Did he pick that up in a book?" She wondered.

Sora held out his hand. Ichigo took it in a firm handshake. "Thank you for saving my sister. She means the world to me." He simply nodded in response. Sora offered him a chair. He sat and looked at Orihime, who was across from him. She simply smiled, but quickly took another sip of tea before asking to be poured another. "Ichigo, can I call you Ichigo?" He nodded. "I trust you already know the story of the gang of what appear to be half humans causing trouble to the north led by my brother?" Sora glanced at Orihime, who promptly stuffed a piece of pastry into her mouth. He turned back to Ichigo. "I would like to ask of you to become a soldier against this pending invasion. We will give you the best training and you would live in the barracks with everyone else." Ichigo scowled. Sora noticed and continued. "You may have your own room if you would prefer. The main point is that I want you to train and become strong enough for these opponents. They will have abilities that we may not be able to control." He reached over and put his hand on Orihime's. "I want to keep my sister protected. She does not need to see war."

A servant opened the door and brought over a cart with a steaming quiche. She brought it over to Ichigo's side. Her hands were gripping the knife tightly, but she spoke in a calm tone. "Would you like some quiche Mr. Kurosaki?" He cleared off his plate and lifted it for her to place a piece on.

"Thank you."

She bowed quickly, then asked the others if they would like any. Orihime held out her plate, but Sora didn't want any. He had been picking away at the food for a while before Orihime arrived, and was rather full. More coffee and tea was poured. Ichigo opted for a simple breakfast tea. They ate in silence for a while until the servants had cleared their plates and they were left with an empty table except for their cups. "Well, I must say I am quite full. Have you thought about joining our military Ichigo? If you say yes, I can have you out of the dungeon later today. Feel free to talk it over with Orihime. The courtyard is right outside these doors. You two may take a walk if you'd like." Ichigo looked at Orihime. Orihime put her cup down and smiled at Sora.

"I think that would be best if we took a walk and discussed it. Well, Kurosaki-kun, shall we go?" She stood up and pushed in her chair. Sora and Ichigo both stood. Orihime walked over and gave Sora a big hug before standing near the door waiting for Ichigo.

Ichigo held out his hand. "Thank you sir. I will give my reply soon."

Sora smiled and took it. "Take your time outside. If you need anything, I will be here."

Ichigo bowed to Sora as he walked out then joined Orihime at the door. They walked outside. It was a bright hazy day. Everything was cast in a soft haze that made some things look almost like paintings. Orihime felt like she was dreaming. They walked along for a while in silence. As they rounded a part of the courtyard, the area was blocked from most of the windows of the castle. It had a garden of flowers to the left and the walls of the castle to the right. Ichigo stopped and leaned against a nearby tree. Orihime stopped. "Have you made a decision?"

"I have."

"What did you decide?"

"I've decided I want to hug you." No sooner had he said that, he had his arms around her. She stood in shock for a moment. Her heart was racing so much, she could feel it in her throat. She gave in and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She very much preferred this to the hug through the bars earlier. "I think I may join." She simply gave a "Great." while still holding onto him. They stayed that way for a moment before letting go. As he let go, Ichigo pulled her head towards his and kissed her on the forehead. All Orihime could think about was if he was given any romance novels by mistake. She giggled nervously as he let go and pulled away from the tree to start walking again.

"You know, the training is tough and people may be afraid of you. Are you sure you're fine with going through all that?" Orihime took his hand. "I know life in the dungeon must have been hard for you. I don't want you to rush into something that your mind can't understand." He didn't let go of her hand. They started walking. She was nearly pulled along for a while before she walked quickly to catch up. "Would you like to sit down?"

"No."

"Should we head back inside and tell my brother?" They turned and headed back.

"Will you still come and see me while I'm training so we can read together?"

"Of course I will. The military probably will be happy if I stay away from their bunker. Hopefully your room will be away from the others, so I can slip in and out without being noticed." Ichigo nodded and turned around. Orihime was pulled once again until she caught up. As they passed the tree Ichigo was leaning on earlier, Orihime felt her hand be pulled hard. She barely noticed the action. He had pushed her up against the tree. Now he was standing over her. She let go of his hand. "Kurosaki-kun what are you..." She was cut off by his lips reaching hers. She squeaked lightly in surprise, but the shock wore off rather quickly. Orihime was surprised he was such a good kisser for living in a dungeon for ten years. Now she was sure he had found some romance novels. She put her hand on his stomach and could feel his strong muscles underneath. She pulled away from him. His eyes piercing into her. Those eyes again. She just wanted to get lost in his eyes and wait for someone to pick them up later. She coughed quietly. "Would you like to tell my brother now, then come back and read under the tree?"

He smiled and gave a quick. "Yes." Before taking her hand and leading her towards the door. Orihime saw as they were close to the door that her brother was already at the window. As they opened the door, he greeted them.

"Have you made a decision Ichigo?"

"Yes. Please let me join the military."

"Excellent. I'll make the arrangements right away. You may stay in one of our rooms tonight. I will have a servant guide you. I will also talk with the council to have your punishment cleaned from the records as well." Ichigo bowed. Orihime could see the difference in his expression. He almost looked happy. Orihime found a nearby servant and asked to bring some books. The servant ran off and Sora gave Ichigo another handshake before leaving the room to make plans.

"I wonder if he has any other reasons for releasing you. Maybe he felt bad for imprisoning a kid. Well, you're not a kid anymore, but uh."

Orihime was cut off by the returning servant. "Maybe your brother wants some nieces and nephews milady."

Orihime blushed instantly. "Rangiku! No, I highly doubt that's the reason. Oh but thank you for the books and the blanket." She turned away quickly from the woman's mischievous grin and headed for the courtyard again. Ichigo looked back as he was following her and saw the servant simply waving to them with the same confident grin. He turned back and smiled to himself. They walked out to the tree and laid the blanket down on the patch of grass behind it. Ichigo took a book, sat down, and leaned up against the tree. Orihime laid down to his side and found her own book to get lost in. The sun warmed her feet and the soft wind blew in the smells from the flower beds. All she wanted to do was stay in this position forever. After only a few minutes, she found herself drifting off to dream another dream about a certain mysterious man with orange hair.

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Note: Thanks for reading. This chapter is a little longer and filled with so much fluff, it feels like I'm on a cloud.


	5. Chapter 5

Ichigo read quietly to himself, but was quite excited on the inside to be out of the dungeons. Having this opportunity was not something he had anticipated. He felt like everything was moving too fast. He put down his book and pondered why the king was so willing to let him out and offer that he join the military. Was it just to take care of the gang to the north? What would happen after that? He looked over to ask Orihime's opinion, but saw that she was fast asleep. The open book now used as a pillow. He looked at her for a moment and thought about how fast he was moving with her as well and how open she seemed to it. The only human contact he had in ten years was either a fight with a guard, during an experiment, which usually involved them holding him down while breaking his mask, or the occasional touch of a servant who would help him recover after the experiments. When he finally felt that he had a chance to have positive contact with another person, he jumped at the opportunity. His brain was swimming with thoughts as the whole experience was making him feel a bit light headed.

He leaned back on the tree and wondered why Orihime was so receptive to his advances. She barely knew him, and yet she let him hug her and even kiss her. He put his hand to his lips and smiled. He never thought his first kiss would be with a princess. He shook the thought from his head. He is an adult now and needs to act more like one. Sometimes he felt like he was still the nine year old boy. He wanted to try and be more mature so that he would make a good example for everyone. He looked at Orihime again and decided that now would be a good time to take a nap as well with the mid day sun shining on him through the leaves. He must have drifted off for some time, because when he was woken up, the sun had moved quite a bit. He looked up and saw the king. He sat up quickly.

"Sorry to wake you Ichigo. You two had been gone a while, so I had someone go out and check on you. When they saw you two asleep, they came and got me to see the sight. You two looked so peaceful, I wish I had drawing talent, because I'd sketch you both." Sora straightened out part of the blanket and sat down. Ichigo looked away for a moment, contemplating how to ask the king. "What is it?"

"Please forgive my bluntness, but why are you being so nice to me? You know what I did when I was nine and you didn't seem to care for me a whole lot over the last ten years. What has changed?"

Sora leaned back. "I knew this conversation would happen eventually. If Orihime ever questions you about it, have her talk to me. To be honest Ichigo, you remind me of someone who saved my life when I was very young. She was my first love, actually." Ichigo shifted. "She had orange hair just like you." He paused while he wiped his eye. "She was a half human half hollow as well." Ichigo's eyes widened. "When I was about eight, before Orihime was even born, my parents took me on a vacation to the north. We were staying in a small town where the roads were straight and it was easy for guards to be posted. My family liked the area too for the mountains and large lakes. The hollows were very few, so it was relaxing for everyone. I remember I was out at the lake skipping rocks across the water, when a girl with orange hair much like yours showed up and started skipping them as well. We challenged each other. When I had won, she looked upset for a moment, but then leaned in to tell me a secret. She told me that she could turn into a hollow and asked if I wanted to see how she could skip rocks while being a hollow. I was very scared and didn't know what to do, but she put her hand on mine gently and told me it was going to be alright and that she wouldn't hurt me. I saw the sincerity in her eyes even at such a young age. I calmed down and let my curiosity take over. I agreed and she looked around to make sure no one was looking, and then she turned. She had the mask on her head and her eyes changed like yours. After she changed, she tried to reassure me that everything was still fine and that she wouldn't harm me. She then took a rock and skipped it probably across the entire lake. I only heard the noise of it skipping until it faded. I was so impressed, I asked her to do it again. For the next few days, we were inseparable. She always remained looking like a human when everyone else was around, but when we were alone, she would always change. We even shared a kiss while she was changed."

He paused and smiled before continuing. "I never even asked her for her name. She showed me such kindness and compassion despite being a half human. The day that we were to leave, a huge hollow had showed up right in front of us. The girl stepped out in front of me and turned into a hollow with everyone watching. The hollow proved to be too much for the guards and the hollow came charging at me. The girl shielded me from a cero, but was hit directly with it. In the last moment before it struck, she let out a small cero and was able to get it right through the head. It vanished, but she collapsed into my arms. She died soon after, looking at me and giving me a soft smile before she was gone. I was pulled away from her screaming and crying. My father stood me up and slapped me in the face. He said to never think of hollows or half hollows as allies. He said the girl had tricked me and made up many excuses for the girl's actions. I was left with that hole in my heart for so long that it turned into hatred. That is why I left you in that dungeon. My heart had gone cold for half humans. I didn't want you to hurt anyone else again. It was not until my sister took an interest in you that those few days many years ago came flooding back. It made me feel that all the horrible experiments I had someone do to you could never be atoned. I know that my sister is a good judge of character. When everyone else would run away, she ran closer. That by itself was enough to give you a chance, and you have exceeded my expectations. I was never expecting that your noble blood would shine through and you would be as much a gentleman as someone who had never been behind bars." Ichigo was glad the king didn't see him shove his sister against a tree. That was not very gentlemanly. "So now you know my story. I hope that I did not make a mistake in letting you go." He said softly.

"You did not."

Sora looked up and smiled. "That's good. Now, I should take Orihime to bed. Would you mind picking up her book?" Sora gently flipped Orihime over, then picked her up. Ichigo took the book and followed them inside. Once inside, Sora headed towards Orihime's room while Ichigo was shown to his own. The room was massive and had a huge canopy bed and large windows. He thanked the servant and sat on the floor in the middle of the room. He wondered how long he would stay here before he was able to start training.

The next few days flew by as plans were being made for a summer ball, so all the servants were running around and excited. Ichigo was anxiously awaiting his training. He had found out that the following morning he would be sent to the training site down the hill from the castle. He was also told he had his own room and they were preparing special areas for him to train in hollow form. He had seen Orihime a few times during the last few days, but was mostly in his room studying how to make origami. He wanted to give the princess a gift. His floor was littered with paper. He had asked if there was any decorative paper, and the servants whispered to themselves as he happily took the decorative paper back to his room. He was so into making the origami flowers that he had neglected to check the time. When he had completed his origami flower bouquet, he looked around and saw that it had already gotten dark outside. His room was fairly dark near the floor, so he had already lit candles to see his work better. He checked the time and saw that it was 11. He knew he was being sent out early in the morning, so he wondered if he should leave the bouquet at Orihime's door. He decided the only option was to sneak into her room since the guards would probably damage the bouquet.

Orihime woke to the sound of footsteps in her room. She quickly turned and lit her lamp to see who was there. She was met with Ichigo calmly walking towards her. "Kurosaki-kun, what are you doing here?!" He pulled out the bouquet behind his back. She immediately took it and subconsciously tried to smell it. Surprisingly, it did have a smell. She recognized it as one of the perfumes that were given to her by Rangiku. Ichigo must have asked her for it to make the flowers smell nice. She examined the papers and was so surprised by how beautiful they were, she didn't even speak for a good two minutes. Finally Ichigo spoke.

"I'm glad you like them. I wanted to give you a gift before I left since I won't see you for a while, but I guess I took too long to make it and had to sneak in to give them to you personally."

"Where are the guards outside?"

"I knocked them out."

"You what?!" Orihime's voice now at a yelling whisper. "Did you kill them?"

"No, I said I knocked them out, not took them out. They'll be fine in a few minutes." He scowled and rubbed his neck.

"Well, thank you for these paper flowers. They are very beautiful. You did a great job."

"I should probably go though before the guards wake up. Take care of yourself."

"Come here for a moment." Ichigo walked over to Orihime now sitting up in bed. She put the flowers down and reached for Ichigo to give him a tight hug. He sat on the bed and held her back. She pulled away and gave him a soft kiss. "You take care of yourself more. Good luck." He nodded and stood up, then he waved goodbye and jumped out the window. The darkness of the night seeming to swallow him up. Orihime looked back at her flowers and got up to find a suitable container for them. She shuffled through her closet until she found a good sized vase and put the flowers in it. She placed the vase on a small table near her bed that seemed to be the perfect spot for it. She nodded at her good work and laid back down. As she turned down the lamp, she could see the flowers slowly drift into darkness much like Ichigo moments ago. She laid back down and watched the window for several minutes. She knew he wouldn't be coming back, but she was hoping that maybe, just maybe he would come back.

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Note: I seem to be power writing this story, but I will be taking a break for a while (maybe). Thanks for all the reviews.


	6. Chapter 6

Orihime woke the next morning in a leaned over position. She had leaned in to watch the window to see if Ichigo would come back, but he never did. She moved herself back into a more comfortable position and sighed. She didn't know why she had thought he would come back. Maybe she had been reading too many romance novels. She always thought the knight would come back in the middle of the night to whisper sweet things into her ear. She wondered when he had left. She was already feeling lonely, but she had spent 19 years of her life without him around. She was sure she could go another few weeks without seeing him. Thinking about the time that will inevitably grow between visits alarmed her. She hadn't realized she had become dependent on him for even the littlest bit of change. She got up and dragged herself to the window. With sleepy eyes she looked out to see the sunny field in front of her. She opened the window and let the warming air float in. She smiled and whispered. "You can do this."

Ichigo woke to the sound of a servant knocking. He groaned for them to enter. The short woman walked over to the table near the bed. She set the folded clothes on the table and walked out quickly. Ichigo looked at the pile in confusion. "What the hell is that?" He got up and wandered over to the pile. He lifted them up and saw that the shirt had his name on it. He shrugged it off and walked into the bathroom.

After he was out of the bathroom, he walked back up to the clothes. He put on the pants first. They were black and seemed quite loose compared to the rags he was used to wearing. Next was a plain white t-shirt. It fit well and he liked it just like that, but he then saw the black button-up shirt with his name. It was loose with long sleeves and had two pockets in the front. He buttoned up the shirt, but failed to tuck it in at first. He thought about it for a while and remembered seeing soldiers with their shirts tucked in, so he did. He glanced at himself in the mirror before walking out the door to face his new destiny.

The walk to the training area was longer than he had thought. He had to roll up his sleeves as the now mid morning sun beat down on him. He arrived to the front office and took refuge under the awning. No one was around, which seemed strange to him. Once he had caught his breath, he rounded the corner and entered the office. Inside was a small woman or girl with pink hair sitting on the desk. She saw Ichigo and stood on the desk. "Hi! You must be Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm Yachiru Kusajishi. Ken-chan's in a training session right now, but he should be back. I can show ya to your room." Ichigo nodded and Yachiru hopped off the desk. She ran out the door and headed to a small path that led down another hill to the bunkers that were hidden in the hillside. He liked the idea, but didn't like how close they were to each other. They walked past all of the bunkers and then went up some stairs and down another path. At the end of this path was another set of bunkers.

"This is where you'll be staying. This one is empty."

Ichigo's eyes widened. The area was pretty far from the other bunkers and the hills helped to protect it. He stopped and took a look around the area, gauging how far his ceros would go. He continued on and followed Yachiru to his room, which was on the bottom floor in the center of the bunker. He placed his bag on his bed and looked around.

"Someone will be by later with essentials like blankets, pans, and toiletries." She looked up at him and giggled. "Ken-chan will like you. I'm sure of it."

Ichigo looked confused. "Is that a good thing?"

"Oh it's always a good thing when Ken-chan likes you. It means he's having a good time."

Ichigo's face remained in a confused state. "I see."

Yachiru smiled and walked over to the door. She looked out as a large explosion could be seen in the field. The dirt rose far into the air and loud noises after the blast could be heard. Ichigo ran over to the door, griping the door as he looked over Yachiru. "What the hell just happened?"

"Oh that was just Ken-chan. We can head back to the office. He should be done now."

Every muscle in Ichigo's body was telling him to head straight for Kenpachi, but his mind was still weary. He could feel his hand grip the door tighter. Finally, he let go and walked around Yachiru to stand out in the sun. He looked back at Yachiru. She was giggling and started running. Her arms outstretched and the walkway now an option as she began spinning and jumping towards the office. Ichigo's mind was wandering. "Who would let a kid in to a military training facility?" He pondered asking her how old she was, but he read somewhere that women don't like to be asked how old they are. He then thought of a good way around the question. "So, is Kenpachi your father?"

Yachiru slowed her pace, but kept her arms out. "Nope, he's more like a brother to me. He picked me up when I was just a kid. He liked that I wasn't scared of him. I've been by his side ever since."

"How many years ago was that?" Ichigo felt pleased with himself for thinking that one up.

"Well, I'm 22 now, so probably 18 years ago."

Ichigo froze in his tracks. "You're older than me?!" He didn't know at first if he had thought that or spoken it.

"Sure am. Alright, we're here! I see Ken-chan. Oh Ken-chan! Ichigo's here!"

Ichigo looked ahead to see a very tall man walk out. He grinned and took out his sword. He whipped it at the ground. It caused a barrage of dirt to fly at Ichigo. Yachiru was already behind Kenpachi. Ichigo skillfully dodged the attack and let out a small cero. Kenpachi blocked it with his sword. The smile never left his face. "Excellent. This is going to be fun. We should get you a sword. Then we can really have some fun. Yachiru, go get my black sword from storage. That one should fit him well."

"Okay!" Yachiru ran inside the office and into another room away from view.

"So Kurosaki, are you ready to be trained to control your hollow so we can take down those pricks to the north?"

"I am sir." Ichigo's eyes remained fixed on Kenpachi. Yachiru returned with a sword that was completely black. She handed it to Ichigo with a small smile. He nodded a thanks and unsheathed it. He had never seen a black blade before. He also hadn't used a sword in his life. He examined it for a moment and contemplated telling Kenpachi he hadn't used a sword before, but before he could, he saw out of the corner of his eye Kenpachi charging towards him. He was able to pull the sword away from his face and block Kenpachi's attack with only a fraction of a second to spare. The dirt around them rose up slightly to their quick movements. Yachiru looked worried.

"Ken-chan, you should move to the field."

"Yeah, thanks Yachiru. You go round up the trainees and tell them to watch us."

"Yay, Ken-chan is having fun!" Yachiru ran out of view.

Kenpachi started walking towards the open field. "Come on. Let's move to an area we can destroy." Ichigo was still trying to slow down his heart rate. He wasn't ready for a sword fight, especially up against an opponent that is skilled. He sighed and jogged to catch up to him.

"Do you want me to be a hollow throughout the fight?"

"When the rest of the trainees come, then you can change. For now, let's enjoy ourselves." Kenpachi's wide smile returned. Ichigo followed Kenpachi in silence until they were quite far into the field. Kenpachi pointed towards a grove of trees with his sword. "When you use a cero, aim over there and not towards the buildings behind us."

Ichigo was agitated by that last statement. Of course he would aim away from the buildings. Kenpachi finally stopped and looked behind him. "This should be good. I can see the trainees moving down the hill. They should be here in a few minutes." He turned back to face Ichigo. "Let's get started."

Kenpachi lunged at Ichigo and grazed his neck with his sword. Ichigo could feel a slight warmth as blood started to trickle out. He jumped back and held his neck with his hand. His reflexes need to improve for sure. The last time he dodged was probably luck. He side stepped as Kenpachi came at him again. Ichigo's sword made contact and again the dirt around them flew. Kenpachi kept slicing at Ichigo, laughing wildly as he did it.

"Good for a first timer. Let's see you block this." He took his sword and swung it underhand. Ichigo jumped back to avoid it and was able to make contact with Kenpachi's sword with just the tip of his sword. Ichigo lowered the sword down Kenpachi's and then pushed against it. They continued to fight until the trainees had arrived. Some of them were cheering.

Kenpachi lowered his sword. "Alright Ichigo. Turn hollow." Ichigo looked at the audience and wanted to turn away as he became a hollow, but knew that Kenpachi probably wouldn't let him, so he let the audience see as his mask formed. He could feel the power extend into his sword. He felt like he had more power with the sword, so he took a quick swipe at Kenpachi. Kenpachi blocked it and pushed Ichigo back.

"Show me what you've got." Kenpachi and Ichigo fought for a few moments. Each getting a bit of their blades to touch the other and cause blood. They were fighting so fast that some of the trainees had a hard time keeping up with the movements. Kenpachi still had the upper hand. Finally, when Ichigo was exhausted and out of options, he decided to use a cero more than what he had been using before. They were mostly short bursts used to cause a visual obstacle, or to dodge. Ichigo subconsciously swung the sword. To his surprise, the cero wrapped itself around the sword and was released when he finished swinging the sword. It released in a large burst heading straight for Kenpachi. He blocked it, but was pushed back and dropped to one knee. The audience let out a collective gasp and Kenpachi quickly stood back up.

"Try that again."

"I'm not sure how I did it."

"Too bad. Do it anyway."

Ichigo took a few practice swings and then focused his cero into the sword. He let out another cero and aimed it at the woods. The blast traveled and landed right before the woods, causing an explosion that took some trees with it. There was silence from the trainees. Kenpachi looked at the damage and smiled.

"Let's continue after a break."

Ichigo was relieved to hear those words. This was the most he had ever fought with anyone and the most ceros he's used. He could feel the exhaustion setting in. He nodded to Kenpachi and they started heading back towards the buildings. Ichigo could feel his whole body drenched in sweat. He rolled up his sleeves and picked up the sheath from the ground as he walked back. Some trainees ran up to meet them.

"Captain, you okay?" One bald headed soldier asked.

"Yeah, guys, this is Ichigo Kurosaki."

Everyone greeted him, but Ichigo could tell they had various other emotions hiding behind their eyes. He could tell some were angry, some were scared, and some were confused. He already was picturing him sitting at a table alone during meal times. He walked ahead of the group as the other soldiers were crowding around Kenpachi asking him questions.

"Ichigo, let's call it a day. I'll have some of my best swordsmen help train you tonight after dinner. Take a few hours to get to know the area."

"Thank you sir. I'll head back to my room."

"You want to eat something? That area is up that hill to the left. Grab a bite to eat. I need ya to be ready for tomorrow. I'm gonna work ya to the bone."

Ichigo knew he wasn't kidding. He waved a reply and ran towards his room. He walked down the path and was able to see his barracks ahead, but he noticed someone standing at his door. He ran over and saw that it was a woman in uniform. She smiled as he approached.

"Hello Kurosaki, I'm Ami. Nice to meet you. I've brought the supplies. Your bed is made and all your belongings are put away. The room is ready for you."

"Thank you." Ichigo saw the woman's eyes lower.

"You know, I saw you out there. You looked so amazing, and so sexy. I haven't seen anything like that before. I didn't know if I should be scared." She paused and walked towards Ichigo. "Should I be scared or turned on?" Ichigo took a step back.

"Thank you for organizing my room, but I am exhausted and would like to rest. Please excuse me."

He stepped around her and opened the door to his room. Ami grabbed his arm and pulled him back as he was entering the room.

"When you're rested, come and get me and I can make you exhausted again." Her voice low.

"Are you going to be my sword trainer?"

"No."

"Then I have no other need to be exhausted unless I am training. Good day." She let go of his arm and he closed the door behind him.

He looked around the room to become familiar where everything was. He opened a drawer and saw all of his clothes neatly folded. He admired how neat Ami had made everything. He took a new uniform out of the drawer and set it out. He contemplated changing, but knew that he would be training again later, so he left his clothes on and instead took a cloth and washed his face and neck. He looked at himself in the mirror and realized he had quite a few cuts. He washed them and then sat in a nearby chair. He looked out the window and could see the hole in the woods caused by his cero. He chuckled to himself and drifted off to sleep.

He woke up a few hours later to a knock on his door. He jumped up and almost tripped over a table. He landed at the door and steadied himself. He opened the door and found a blond haired man looking back at him.

"Good afternoon Kurosaki. I'm Urahara, your sword trainer. Let's head out to the training grounds for some lessons."

"Right." Ichigo closed the door behind him and they headed to the training grounds. Urahara was almost as fast with his sword movements while they were training. Ichigo noticed that Urahara was softer in his movements, but they seemed just as deadly. He liked that Urahara gave him tips in mid-fight and Ichigo felt a lot more comfortable with his skills after their few hours of training were done. Ichigo had grabbed a small meal before going to the training grounds, but could feel himself needing food again. Urahara offered to train again tomorrow at the same time and said that the training was over for the day. Ichigo dashed towards the dining hall and grabbed a meal. He ate so quickly that he practically chocked on his food. He was so hungry that he had to go up for seconds. He never noticed the prying eyes watching him the entire time. After he dropped his plate off, he walked out of the dining hall and took a slow walk towards his room. It was night now and he could hear some of the other soldiers laughing and a bonfire was roaring in the field. He walked quicker to his room and collapsed into a chair when he finally arrived. He could smell himself, so he undressed and took a shower. He laughed while he was showering. Not long ago he had gone weeks without bathing and now he goes two days and finds it too much. He quickly dried himself and put some underwear on. As soon as he saw his bed, he knew that he would sleep well that night. He dashed to finish quickly and turn off the lights. Then, with one long sigh, he laid down. He looked up at the ceiling and could see the light from the bonfire illuminating the ceiling. He closed his eyes and thought about how much stronger he felt. As the last few moments before sleep set in, he thought about the princess and wondered how she was doing.

"Princess." He called out. Then, he was asleep.

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Note: Thank you as always for reading. The next chapter will be the ball that was mentioned earlier. Things don't go as planned, but I can't go the whole chapter without having a little romance happen. I always appreciate reviews since I get bored waiting to go to work. I am still a new writer and have a different style than many others, so anything to help me improve is appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

For Ichigo, the next week felt like a moment. A mere speck in the time line. He could hear the other trainees talk about the ball that was that evening. He knew most of them were going. After all, it was a time to mingle with royalty. That doesn't happen that often. The soldiers would put on their best faces, iron their uniforms, and be amongst the best and brightest. It was a good test of their discipline.

Ichigo knew he had a full day ahead of him. He now had two trainers besides Urahara and Kenpachi. One was to show him martial arts, and the other showed him stealth and spying. He really had all the bases covered now. As he picked up his plate and walked out the door, he couldn't help but overhear someone talk about Orihime. They mentioned tonight she was to look for suitors. The men talking were all shrugging it off, knowing that only nobles and those higher up on the food chain would be chosen. Ichigo pondered for a moment. He surely wouldn't want some arrogant slob of a man taking the princess for a bride. She deserved better. He kept telling himself that he was eligible and would be able to protect her better, but his inner voice kept telling him he was a monster. With an eventual crowning of a new king, would the public even want or follow a hollow king? He walked slowly to the training grounds and met Urahara for the day's lesson.

Orihime lifted up the dress she was to wear that evening. She could feel the weight of the dress overtake her. It wasn't the actual weight of the dress, but the real reason that the ball was happening. It was a chance for all the eligible bachelors to have a dance with her and get to know her. She just wanted to hide under a rock. She was not ready for this at all. Tatsuki walked behind her and pulled up her hair. "I think you should wear your hair up with some stray curls. It would look proper, but still show a little boldness."

"If you think that would get me more bachelors, then fine." Orihime said in a monotone.

"What's wrong?"

"I just don't want to do this. Why can't my brother just pick someone for me and get it over with?"

"Maybe because he cares about your happiness."

"I know. It's just. This whole courting thing annoys me. I hate choosing."

"I know you do." Tatsuki looked down as she began brushing Orihime's hair. In the back of her mind, she knew that Orihime was thinking of Ichigo. She had rarely spoken to Tatsuki about him, but when she did, Tatsuki saw a brightness in Orihime's eyes that she had never seen before. Tatsuki knew that Ichigo had improved greatly from the filthy man she had seen mixed in with the low beings that he is now training to fight against. She snapped back to reality when a tangled piece of hair caught on the brush and Orihime groaned. "Oh, sorry princess." She kept brushing. "Did you hear that most of the members of the military will be there as well? Now you can see Ichigo."

Orihime's heart began to race. "I know I'll be able to see him. I just don't know how much time I'd be able to spend talking to him when there are so many others wanting to spend time with me."

"I can find a nice room for you guys to be alone."

"Tatsuki-chan!"

"That's not what I meant. I mean for you two to have some time alone to talk. He probably would love to talk to a lady that's not a soldier and not flirting with him."

"The...there are women flirting with him?"

"There are. I heard it from Rukia and Renji when they stopped by. They had just seen a few of them surround him. Rukia felt sorry for him, but Renji said he felt jealous."

"What happened?"

"They didn't say. I think they like the idea that he's different. That he has more power than probably all of them combined. Some women find a powerful man sexy."

Orihime felt lightheaded. She hated the idea of other women flirting with him, but she stopped herself and wondered why. Was this jealously because she liked him or just because she didn't want to see him overwhelmed or hurt? She decided to not think about it too much. She had to go to eat breakfast.

Orihime ate quickly and then walked into the ball room to view the decorations. Sora followed her. "What do you think?"

"It's lovely. I love all the flowers."

"Orihime, don't think too hard about all the guys that will be asking you to dance. I don't want you to get overwhelmed." He walked past a rose and bent down to smell it. "I hear Lord Ishida will be coming."

"That's great. I haven't seen him in a while." Orihime tensed up. "I'm sorry, I don't think I would want to choose him Sora. You know I think of him as a really close friend."

"I know. I just wanted to let you know. It has been a while."

Orihime continued to look around until she ended up walking to one of the balconies. The balcony had a view of a field that blooms with wildflowers. The area right around the castle was grass, but the flowers were pushed right up against the grassy area that was maintained. She could often smell them with the right wind. She climbed up on the stone balcony wall and sat on the edge. She looked down and could see two guards walking around the area underneath her. The balcony was slightly taller than the guards, so sometimes they were hidden under the balcony. She looked out to the field and watched as the flowers gently flowed. She had the sudden urge to hop down and run through them, but a servant called her to get down, so she did. She looked back at the area and smiled. One day she'll run in them.

The evening finally arrived and guests were trickling in. Sora and Orihime stood at the entrance to greet everyone. Orihime had her hand kissed more times than she could count. She saw familiar faces, and some newcomers that she hadn't met before. It was nice to meet everyone, but she just wanted to get to eating. She was starving. She took a moment and ran off to delicately stuff her face. She encountered a few bachelors that struck up a conversation with her, but all she wanted were the buns that Tatsuki had baked. As she reached over to grab one, she heard the music start to play. She was relieved as many of the people hovering near the food were now gone. She took a bun and a few other items and sat down at a nearby table. She watched as the couples began dancing. She loved watching people dance. Through the crowd, she saw a familiar face.

"Ishida-kun! Over here!"

"A princess should not be waving her arms wildly."

"Oh, sorry." She laughed nervously. "It's good to see you again."

"You as well."

They began making small talk to catch up, but Orihime felt Ishida was avoiding a subject. "Ishida-kun, did you hear that the half hollow Ichigo Kurosaki is now in our military?"

He shifted his glasses. "I did, and I must object to it."

"Why?"

"He is a monster princess. He needs to remain in the dungeon where he belongs."

"He has shown only loyalty since accepting the position my brother offered him."

"That doesn't mean anything. He can turn on all of you in an instance, just like he did his family. That was his family."

"He's learned to control his powers, and besides, he was a child."

"Stop trying to defend him. He is a monster. That is all."

Orihime shifted in her seat, but gave a warm smile. "I hope one day you will see he is truly a caring and wonderful person, not a bloodthirsty monster."

Ishida sighed. He knew he wasn't getting anywhere. "I hope you're right." An upbeat song came on and the crowd started cheering. Ishida looked at the crowd, then at Orihime. "So, should we dance?"

"Oh, sure." She took Ishida's hand and they headed out to the floor.

Hours had passed and Orihime was getting tired. She had done too many dances, been offered too many glasses of wine, and felt like she could eat an entire cabinet of food. Finally, her brother came out to thank everyone for coming and to announce that there were going to be five more songs played that were his personal favorites. The band began to play a slow number and Orihime looked around in panic for Ichigo. She knew that there wasn't much time left and she at least wanted to dance with him for one song. She searched the crowd until she found Rukia and Renji dancing. "Have you seen Kurosaki-kun?"

"Last time I saw him, he was training with Kenpachi." Renji slowed his step.

"Oh, do you think he's still training?"

Rukia stopped. "He may still be there. Do you want us to find him?"

"Yes, please do, and quickly. There are only four more songs."

"Of course. We will be back as soon as we can." Rukia grabbed Renji's hand and they were off. They ran to the training grounds and found Ichigo still training with Kenpachi.

"Ichigo, you idiot. The ball is almost over. Get going." Renji yelled out. Kenpachi grinned and sent a barrage of dirt heading for Ichigo. He blocked the attack and groaned.

"Let's stop for today Kenpachi."

"Why stop now when things just got good?!" He let out another attack.

"Captain Kenpachi. The princess would like Ichigo's presence at the ball. Please end this." Rukia yelled as best she could over the commotion.

Kenpachi finally lowered his sword. "You got lucky. See ya tomorrow." He walked towards the office and could hear Yachiru singing as he entered.

Ichigo put away his sword and began running towards the castle. "What are you doing?!" Rukia called out.

"Going to the ball."

"Not like that! Go take a shower and put on new clothes." Ichigo looked down at his now brown uniform and bloody hands. He nodded and ran towards the barracks. Rukia sighed and looked up at Renji. "Let's head back and let her know. Though, I don't think he'll make it in time."

"I don't think so either. Such a shame."

They ran back to the castle in time for the last song to play. They found Orihime sitting on a chair looking out the window. She had refused all offers to dance. Rukia ran up to Orihime. She stood as soon as she saw her.

"He's on his way. I told him to shower and change, but I don't think he'll make it in time. This is the last song isn't it?" Orihime nodded slowly. She sat back in her chair.

"Thank you for trying and thank you for coming tonight. I hope you had a good time."

"We did princess. I'm sorry we didn't make it." Rukia picked up Orihime's hands and held them tight. Orihime shook her head.

"Good night you two. I'll see you tomorrow." Moments after she spoke, the music stopped and everyone clapped. After the band bowed, the guests started to file out. Most gave the princess a few moments before they left, but before long, most had left the room. Orihime stood up and walked to the balcony. She leaned over and could hear the faint noise of a violin playing. She looked down and saw that a guard had a violin and was playing it for two other guards. She smiled and leaned over further to hear it better. She then heard a voice calling out to her. She realized in an instant that it was Ichigo. She waved to him and saw that he was running towards the balcony.

"Kurosaki-kun, you made it."

"No I didn't. Everyone is leaving. Sorry, Kenpachi wouldn't let me leave."

"It's alright. I'm glad you're here now." The guard had stopped playing when Ichigo arrived. "Guards, you may continue." The guard lifted his violin and began a slow song that the other two guards started singing to. Orihime stood up straight and had a great idea. She took off her shoes and leaned over the balcony. "Kurosaki-kun, if I jump, will you catch me?"

"Of course."

"Princess!" A guards called out. "That is not wise."

As soon as he finished the sentence, he saw the princess falling in front of him and into Ichigo's arms. He almost fell over, but was able to stablize himself by walking backwards. He set her down and she cheered.

"Princess, what were you thinking?"

"Play that song again. I want to dance with Kurosaki-kun."

The guards looked at each other. "Yes, ma'am." They began playing and singing the same song from the beginning. Orihime held out her hand to Ichigo.

"May I have this dance?" Orihime said with a smirk.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" Ichigo chuckled and took her hand. "I don't really know how to dance."

"It's alright. I've danced plenty of times. I can show you." It took a few minutes to get into rhythm, but soon they were slowly dancing on the grass to the music. A few of the band members heard the music and walked over to see what was happening. When they saw the princess, they too joined in on the same song. As the sounds became louder, some of the guests walked out into the yard. Soon, a small crowd had gathered to watch. When the song was over, everyone clapped. One of the band members leaned towards Orihime.

"How about something a little more upbeat princess?"

Orihime smiled brightly. "Yes, please!"

The band and guards talked amongst themselves for a moment and then began playing a very upbeat jig. One that the crowd started to clap to. Orihime began dancing and took a confused Ichigo along. Soon they were twirling, kicking, and clapping to the jig. Some of the crowd began to dance in their places. As the song was ending, Ichigo and Orihime began twirling so fast, they found themselves in the flowers. When the song finally stopped, they too stopped, but the dizziness of twirling made them both fall over. Ishida had been watching and called out to the princess. He ran over, sword drawn. Not knowing what he would find. To his amazement, he found them both laughing loudly on their backs with their eyes closed. Ishida took in the beauty of the moment as angry as he was. The moon was shining on them, the flowers were slowly blowing with the wind, and the princess looked so happy, he wondered if he had ever seen her this happy before. He sheathed his sword and put his hand out.

"Here princess. I'll help you up."

She opened her eyes, seemingly upset that the moment had ended. She took Ishida's hand and he helped her up. Ishida looked at her with a troubled look on his face.

"Princess, you have flowers in your hair."

She brushed them out and started brushing out her dress. She continued to laugh and looked up in embarrassment as she saw the now larger crowd around her. She looked over at Ichigo, who had brushed himself off as well and was looking rather embarrassed himself. She turned towards the crowd.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet our secret weapon and newest member of the military, Ichigo Kurosaki." Some of the people in the crowd mumbled to others, obviously recognizing the name. Orihime continued. "Some of you may remember him. I want to assure you that he is now a loyal member of the royal military and has sworn so under penalty of life in the dungeon to uphold our rules. He is not only a trusted and powerful ally." She reached over and grabbed his hand. "He is also a good friend. Please help me welcome him to our royal military family." The crowd clapped softly. "Good night everyone. Thanks for coming." She waved to the crowd and they began to disperse. Ishida walked over to Ichigo. He held out his hand stiffly. Ichigo took it and they shook hands. Ishida's voice was fairly monotone.

"Welcome Kurosaki. Don't let us down."

Ichigo pulled away. "I won't."

They scowled at each other for a moment, then Ishida changed into a smiling face and said goodbye to Orihime. She waved as he left, then leaned up against Ichigo.

"Can I lean against you for a bit? I'm exhausted."

"We can sit on that bench if you'd like." He pointed to a bench near some bushes not far away. She nodded and they walked over to it. She sat down with a loud sigh. Ichigo sat down and turned toward her. "Thank you for defending me."

"You're welcome. I know the townspeople spread rumors like wildfire. I'd like the ones about you to be as positive as they can be. I know you will do well." Her eyes became heavy and she shifted towards Ichigo until she was pressed up against him. He was already against the edge, so he had nowhere to go. He leaned in and wrapped his arm around her. She pressed her head against his neck and shifted until she was comfortable. "Can we stay like this for a while?"

"Of course. I have nowhere else to be except here."

"Me too." She looked up at the nearly full moon and watched a shooting start fly by.

"Make a wish." She said quietly. She held her eyes shut tight while she wished for happiness. Before she opened her eyes, she added a little note onto the wish. "Maybe with him." She said inside her head. She opened her eyes to see Ichigo looking back.

"You must want that wish badly."

"I do." She smiled at him, then they both looked back up to the sky and stayed gazing up at the stars before falling asleep in each others arms.

* * *

Note: I love picturing them laying in the flowers, being illuminated by the moon. It sounds so nice.


	8. Chapter 8

Ichigo was having a nightmare again. Sometimes they just came back. Old memories that he wanted to forget. Now was not a good time to have one of these nightmares. He flailed his right arm to push away invisible enemies. He groaned softly and shifted his weight forward. As he was about to be bit by a hollow in his nightmare, a guard poked him with the sheath of his sword. Ichigo flew awake, but the weight of the princess leaning on him made him fall back quickly.

"Kurosaki, you need to get up at once. The princess needs to be taken to bed. With how you were waving your arm, I was surprised the princess hadn't been hit yet."

Ichigo's eyes scanned the princess for any abnormalities. She slept peacefully, being held in his left arm. He took a moment to sigh and run his hand through his hair.

"Sorry guys. I must have fallen asleep for a bit. I can take her." He took his free hand and lifted her up. "Can you guys open the door for me when we get there?" The guards nodded. One of them spoke.

"I'll get one of the maids to come in after we have left to take care of changing her."

Ichigo was planning on just taking off the top layers to make her more comfortable, but agreed in his head that the other way was more proper. He skillfully slid through the door without touching the sides and headed towards her bedroom with a guard still following. Rangiku poked her head out. The other guard came out behind her. "Oh Kurosaki." Rangiku whispered. "Is this a sign of things to come?"

"Huh?"

"Oh you know. You carrying the princess to join her in bed." Rangiku winked as she walked alongside them. Ichigo's muscles tensed. Rangiku chuckled at the noticeable reaction. "I'm just teasing you honey." She tapped him lightly on his butt. "Such a good man."

Ichigo cleared his throat and walked faster towards Orihime's room. A guard opened the door for him and he carefully went through the door. Once he was inside, he noticed the paper flowers he had made on a table. He grinned at how nicely they looked in the vase and how it seems that they were kept clean. Rangiku slid ahead of him and turned down the bedding so that he could lay her under the covers. He laid her down softly. He was about to pull the covers over her, but Rangiku stopped him. "I need to undress her first. Thanks though." Ichigo nodded and stepped back. "Would you like to watch?" Rangiku smirked as she began pulling down the dress. Ichigo stiffly turned around and walked out. The guards at the door closing the door behind him. Rangiku laughed quietly as she pulled the dress down. "Such a good man."

Ichigo walked slowly to his barracks. The night was clear and the sky was still brightly lit by the moon and stars. He gazed up at them with his hands in his pockets. He looked down as something caught his eye. To the north, he could see something glowing. The high elevation of the castle helped to view the countryside clearly. He focused more on the glowing and squinted to try and see it better. It looked like a fire. From this distance, he guessed it was pretty large. He could hear nothing except the wind blowing through the grass. Everything in all other directions seemed peaceful. He wondered if it was a hollow or Aizen's gang. He guessed the latter. As he passed the office, he heard a voice from above him.

"Ichigo, come and join me for a drink."

He looked up to see Kenpachi sitting on the roof of his office. He was looking out towards the north. Ichigo climbed up and sat to the right of him. Kenpachi called out to Yachiru to bring another mug of beer up. She quickly appeared. Ichigo leaned over the roof to meet Yachiru, who had jumped up old boxes to form makeshift stairs. He thanked her and sat back down. He took a sip and faced Kenpachi. "Do you think it's Aizen's gang?"

"Probably. They look to be a few days away." He took a big drink of his beer. "I'm guessing we have two days tops before they get here. We gotta meet tomorrow with everyone to plan an attack. Ya ready for this?"

"I am." Ichigo took another drink.

"I saw ya dancin' with the princess in the yard. How repulsively romantic." He snorted and downed the rest of his beer. "Yachiru." She was already there to grab the mug and refill it.

"I can get the beer. Yachiru probably wants to sleep."

"Nah, she told me to ask her." She returned with the mug. He nodded a thanks and she smiled at both men before hoping down. The men drank in silence for a time while watching the glow slowly fade to the north.

"I should get going. We have a long few days ahead of us. Thanks for the beer." Kenpachi nodded while still looking ahead. Ichigo hopped down and gave the mug to Yachiru.

"I'll see you tomorrow Yachiru. Have a good night."

"You too!" She called out from behind a door.

Ichigo continued to watch the glow until he reached his room. He knew tonight he was not going to sleep well.

The next morning, a meeting was held for all the members of the military. A large force was going to be deployed the next day to attack Aizen's gang. The remaining members were to be stationed at the castle to defend it. There were high walls around the area, but soldiers needed to be stationed in all areas. After the meeting, Kenpachi asked Ichigo to come with him and a few others to the castle. The king had ordered a meeting and wanted Ichigo to be there.

The large meeting room had a small table where everyone was sitting. The princess was in attendance as well. "Good morning everyone." Sora called out as the door to the room was shut. "Please take a seat. Tell the servants any drinks you would like."

Ichigo looked and saw that the only spot that remained was next to Orihime. She smiled wide as he approached. "Good morning Kurosaki-kun."

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Oh yes. Watching the stars with you after the dance really relaxed me. I'm sorry you had to carry me in."

Sora looked over at the two. "No problem princess. May I sit here?"

"Of course."

He pulled the chair out and asked the servant for some black coffee. Sora looked around to make sure everyone was ready. "As you all know, Aizen's gang has moved closer to the castle. We will being deploying soldiers to the area tomorrow morning. Kenpachi, you will be commanding the first force that will include Ichigo. Commander Yamamoto will be leading the second force that will be backup to Ichigo and surround the area. Ichigo, I know this is a lot of responsibility for you, but you are our best weapon against them. We will have you protected from all sides. The main goal is to get Aizen to either surrender, or to defeat him and his men. I would like my brother to be unharmed and taken into custody, but if you must defeat him, I will not hold it against you. This is war, and we need to make the best decisions possible to ensure the safety of those in this kingdom. The cities beyond the castle rely on us to keep the area safe. They have a nice life, and we certainly do not want to show them the terrors of war. "

Orihime crossed her legs and appeared to be disturbed by the thought of the cities around them being caught up in the fight. Her hand dropped to her side. Ichigo took the moment and grabbed it. Orihime looked over cautiously, then squeezed it hard. They remained that way for the remainder of the meeting.

After the meeting, everyone was standing around talking. Orihime pulled Ichigo up from the table, hands still held. "I want to give you something before you go. Can you come with me? Ichigo could feel Sora watching. He still nodded, but felt very awkward. He leaned in to her ear.

"Should you let go of my hand now?" She blushed and released it.

"Sorry."

"It's alright, but your brother's eyes were boring a hole into me."

Orihime giggled and walked briskly to the door. Ichigo followed. They entered Orihime's room. She went to a drawer near her bed and took out a long silver chain. She handed it to Ichigo. He opened his hand and looked down. It was a six pointed flower on a silver chain. "Sora gave me one just like it." She reached under her collar and retrieved her version. Her version was more feminine, with a small silver chain and shining silver with a sky blue coloring. His was a thicker, longer chain with duller silver and a darker blue coloring. He took the necklace and squeezed it in his hand.

"Thank you."

"Let me put it on you." She took the necklace and stood behind him to put it on. She walked around and faced him. She placed her hand on the flower now hanging down to his mid-chest. "Sora said that this necklace will protect me and remind me that he is always by my side. I want you to feel the same way about me while you are fighting. We are here to protect you and keep you safe." She grasped the flower and held it tight. "Promise me you'll come back?"

He wrapped his arms around her quickly, leaving Orihime still holding onto the necklace. "I promise." She let go of the necklace and returned the hug. They remained that way until Sora cleared his throat to announced his entrance.

"Don't worry, we will make sure he comes back." Sora walked over and placed his hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "He's our best shot." He glanced over to the necklace on Ichigo. "Do you like the necklace we had made for you? Orihime was adamant that the one for you look more manly. I think it looks good."

"Yes, thank you."

Orihime stood beside Sora, her eyes slowly filling with tears. She couldn't bear the thought of Ichigo coming back dead or in serious condition. She knew that one of them was probably going to be the way it was going to be, but she hoped that he would at least come back alive. She came to the conclusion that no matter what condition he was in when he returned, she would still care for him no matter what. Sora put his arm around Orihime and gave her a quick hug.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone. Ichigo, I will see you at dawn tomorrow?"

"Yes, sir."

"Great. Good day then." Sora walked out and shut the door behind him. Orihime's heart raced so fast, she could feel it in her throat. Why did her brother do that? Was he trying to get her and Ichigo to get closer? She stood and pondered for a moment while Ichigo took the necklace and put it under his shirt.

"I should head back. I have a long day tomorrow." He walked over to Orihime and put his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She took her arm and touched his face gently. She could feel the stubble on his face and wondered what he'd look like with facial hair. She was too busy pondering again for her to notice him leaning in and kissing her. She dropped her hand and moved it to around his back. They stayed in their blissful kiss until they both needed to get some air. She leaned towards him and laid her head down on his shoulder.

"I'll see you off tomorrow morning. Please sleep and eat well tonight." She looked up at him. "Please come back. I don't know what I'd do if you were not by my side forever." She thought about what she had said. She blushed and hid her head in his shoulder. He put his arm around her.

"I'll come back for you." He kissed her on the forehead and let go. He exited the room quietly, leaving Orihime cold and afraid. She put her hand over the spot on her back that he just had his hand. She fell onto her bed and cried softly.

Ichigo spent the rest of the day training. He stayed in hollow form most of the time. Some other soldiers approached him to ask if there was anything they could do to help, but he just waved them off. He took a break and walked over to a well to dump some water over his head. He took off his now clinging shirt and threw it over his shoulder. He leaned against the cold stone of the well and drank. He wondered if he had trained enough to be ready for tomorrow. He didn't even know what powers Aizen and his gang had. They could be a bunch of thugs, or they could be just like him. He rubbed the back of his now tense neck. Suddenly, he felt hands run over his neck and begin rubbing his neck and move down to his shoulders. He tensed up and glanced over to see Ami smiling back. He began to pull away.

"Oh come on Ichigo. We were all told to support you. Now that you and the princess are into each other, this is all I can do for you."

"You can also pick up a sword and fight tomorrow."

"We all plan on doing that, but you looked like you needed this. I promise I will remain civil towards you. No more flirting from us ladies. As much as we'd like to, we know you have enough on your plate. That's not going to stop us from continuing our endless poems, drawings, and stories about you."

Ichigo could hear voices behind them. He glanced over to see a rather large group of women gathering behind them. Ichigo sighed. "Why are they all here?"

"We just wanted to say we appreciate all that you do." She stopped rubbing his shoulders and stood up. "To be honest. All us girls just want to see something to help motivate us and move us forward."

Ichigo wrung the shirt out onto the ground. "What's that?"

All the girls leaned forward. "Can you look up at us and have just your eyes turn black? No mask. Just the eyes."

"What would that do?"

Some girls groaned softly. Ami now looked embarrassed. "Can you just do it? I promise we will work extra hard tomorrow if we could just have this." Ami walked over and stood by the other women. Ichigo laid the shirt on the well.

"Will you all focus more on your work if I do this?"

All the women simultaneously nodded. Ichigo sighed and looked down. He could feel the sun peeking through the clouds and warming his bare skin. He focused his energy to make sure only his eyes changed. Once he knew he had it under control, he looked up at the girls. They all shrieked the worst noise Ichigo had ever heard. He remained still, but moved his eyes over the crowd. He saw one of them whisper to Ami. "Ichigo, can you run your hand through your hair and pour some more water over you?"

"Oh come on!"

"Please?!" A large majority of the group said.

He sighed and did what she asked. The shrieks were coming again. "Is that enough?"

"One last thing." Ami pulled away from the group.

"I'm not taking my clothes off."

Some woman groaned in disappointment, while others chuckled.

"We weren't going to ask you that. Thanks for thinking of it though." She smiled. "Can you give us some words of encouragement for tomorrow? Oh and keep the eyes."

Ichigo threw the shirt over his shoulder again. "Some of you may not survive tomorrow, but you may if you keep your senses ready. There could be enemies anywhere. I know all of us have been trained in stealth. Use all your senses tomorrow and you should be fine. The last thing I want is to have one of you ladies laying at my feet because you were too focused on me to worry about yourself. I'm doing this for you now, but tomorrow we are warriors. We are not teenagers. Now ladies, are you going to give it your best and return here?"

"Yes!"

"Great. Now let's work together to get this gang. I'll see you tomorrow."

He walked past the crowd. A few of the women thanked him as he left. He could feel their eyes watching him, but he didn't care. Whatever it took to get them battle ready. He still didn't understand why they liked seeing him like that, but he brushed it off and walked towards his room. He spent the rest of the day eating dinner, bathing, and packing. He took the last few minutes before the sun set to climb up on the hill to watch it over the trees. Tomorrow was going to be another day, and he will surely be around to see the next full moon so he can dance with the princess once again under the moonlit night.

* * *

Note: Poor Ichigo. The creepers have arrived. I hope that came across as totally shojo. I know some may not like this extra attention, but I promise he only has eyes for one. :D


	9. Chapter 9

The foggy, rainy, morning took everyone by surprise. There were only clear skies, and the sunsets were always filled with vibrant reds, indicating that there were sunny days ahead. Ichigo was given the best horse they had. The animal seemed unfazed by the drizzle, and stood tall. Ichigo patted him on his side. As the light finally showed itself, the soldiers hopped on their horses and started forming their groups. A servant came rushing down the hill. She was out of breath, but got Kenpachi's attention.

"The king and princess would like to see you off. Can you wait for a moment?"

Kenpachi looked annoyed, but he nodded. The servant ran back, and within moments, the two royals were walking towards the group with guards and servants in tow. As soon as Orihime spotted Ichigo, she smiled. He too was smiling back at her atop his horse. Sora walked in front of the group, patting the horses' heads as he walked to the front. Orihime followed and stood next to him. Her eyes always fell back on Ichigo, but she would turn away to look at everyone else as well. Sora spoke first.

"Men, this is going to be a mission of unknown dangers. We only have rumors and speculation to go on. Some of you remember my brother and know how cunning and stubborn he is. It is my guess that the half-humans he has with him are very strong. It is your job to defeat any enemies of this kingdom. I ask that you spare my brother's life, but return him here for questioning." He shifted to stand tall. "Any enemy to the prosperity of this great kingdom will be struck down. Do I have your word that you will all do your best to see justice brought on behalf of your king?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good luck to you all." Orihime yelled as best she could. She brought her hand to her chest and felt the necklace below her clothes. She held it tight and looked up at Ichigo again. He smiled and grabbed his own necklace. He nodded towards her. "Come back to me Ichigo." She said softly, but he heard it loud and clear.

"I will."

"Let's move out everyone!" Kenpachi yelled. The soldiers cheered and waved their swords in the air. The group began to move past the royals and down the road. As Ichigo passed Orihime, he held out his hand. She grabbed it for a moment, but let go as the horse rode past. She saw him looking back at her as the horse started galloping away.

Sora looked at Orihime as the last of the soldiers rode out of sight. "He will return a hero. When he does, I will make him the hero of this land. I hope the people will come to love their future king."

Orihime's eyes grew wide, and she looked up at her brother. "What do you mean?"

"Orihime, I've been in love before, I know what it looks like. You two are completely in love with each other." He smiled. She blushed, and looked around. No one was within hearing distance of them. "You don't have to be embarrassed by it. If he comes back a hero, he has my permission to marry you and be in line to the throne."

"Marry me?!" Orihime said quietly, her hands trembling. "Shouldn't we, um, date or something first?"

"Sure."

"Nii-san, this is embarrassing. I don't think of Ichigo that way."

"Then what way do you think of him? Answer me this question. Do you often think about him?"

"Y..yes."

"Do you find yourself enjoying every moment with him?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean anything."

Sora shook his head. "Don't make me marry you myself when he gets back. I'd rather you see it for yourself then me force it upon you."

She looked down again. "Thank you. You are a wonderful brother." Sora walked over and hugged her tightly.

"Come on, let's get back inside and dry off." Orihime nodded and walked back.

The soldiers rode in silence for hours, stopping only a few times to rest the horses. They rode thorough countless trees, up steep hills, and over wide open fields until they reach a town. Kenpachi halted them and said they should camp there for the night. It was a town not known to have any of Aizen's men, and they would be a good few hours ride away from them. The inn was more than happy to take everyone, though most had to have several soldiers in each room to accommodate everyone. Thankfully, all the women could share two adjoining rooms, and were more than happy to sit and talk the night away. Ichigo was given a room with Kenpachi and Yamamoto. Everyone felt it was best to have the commanding officers with him. The teams rested, relaxed, drank, and had a good time. Ichigo too found himself enjoying everyone's company, but knew deep down the happy times would not last. Everyone slept well, and the next morning, they headed out.

That morning was cloudy and a bit cooler than the days prior. The wind was strong and at their backs, so they rode with ease through the fields. A scout was sent out the night before, but had not returned. This concerned the teams, but they kept moving. As they approached the northern town that was the start of the mess, they found their scout, though not in the way they would've liked. Some soldiers shrieked, but most took this as a warning and burying and paying their respects to the scout. As Ichigo stood next to the horse, he looked out in the direction of the castle. His focus was broken as the sounds of screams returned his attention to the road in front of him. A group of people were walking down the road, all of them wearing white coats, a rarity in these times. Kenpachi took a step ahead.

"So, you finally showed your face Aizen. Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Aizen held his hand out to stop the group, then moved forward. "Why good morning Kenpachi. It's been a long time." He looked over and nodded at Yamamoto. "What brings you to my neighborhood?"

"You know damn well why we're here, boy." Yamamoto chimed in, walking closer to Kenpachi.

"I'm afraid I don't."

"You're attacking villages with your group of men. This area is still part of your brother's kingdom. We can't stand by and watch our towns burn." Yamamoto held his sword tight.

"If you leave my brother as king, more towns will burn." Everyone gripped their swords and readied themselves. Aizen smirked. "You see, Sora is a softy. He doesn't like conflict. He only allowed for peace. Chaos is part of this world and we need to have it to maintain balance. We are here to bring that chaos. To show the people of this kingdom that Sora is not the strong leader they need, I am. Once my men bring down a few towns, I will step in and convince them to stop. Once that's done, I will spread rumors that I was the hero and the king did nothing. Everyone will come to love me and force the king and his spoiled little sister out of the castle, making way for me and my men."

"Aizen." Yamamoto spoke "Why did you just tell us your plan? We can take this back to the king."

"Well, you see Yamamoto, I don't expect any of you to make it out of this, so there will be no one to tell him. Besides, I can't have it look like the king was actually doing something about us." Everyone remained steady on their weapons. "Such force among you. I like to see a little spunk in our prey." Aizen laughed. "Though I think my biggest prey will be the king's sister. I just want to see his face when I cut her head right off in front of him."

Ichigo stepped out behind Kenpachi at the last word, mask on, cero forming. He stepped in front of Kenpachi and let out a large cero directed at Aizen. His loud roar echoed through the teams. Aizen was caught off guard and held his arms up. His men went in front of him, knocking him to the ground, while diverting the cero towards the open field to their right. The blast sent a shock wave that brought many horses and soldiers to their knees. Aizen was helped up and stood next to his men that helped him. He was not smiling anymore.

"Well that was a shock. I see you men have a hollow amongst your soldiers. This makes things interesting. What's your name, son?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki, and you will never touch the princess, because I will slice your head off myself."

"Kurosaki huh? You wouldn't happen to be Isshin Kurosaki's son, are you?"

Ichigo stood still.

"Interesting. I can't believe they let you out of the dungeon Lord Kurosaki." Ichigo was held back by Kenpachi's arm, while Yamamoto took a step closer.

"Stand down Aizen. You are outnumbered here."

Aizen stepped out in front of his men once again. "I don't think so." He called out to the four people to his left. "You four, take that side. You four take that side. I think the three of us can take on this poor excuse of a half-human. Go!"

The eight people behind him ran towards the soldiers. "Attack!" Kenpachi yelled.

"Take them out!" Yamamoto yelled to his soldiers.

The only ones that remained were the commanders and Ichigo. Yamamoto lunged towards Aizen, but was blocked by one of his men. "Stark's my best man. You two go play." The men ran towards the field and at that moment, had Kenpachi taking a swipe at Aizen. Aizen's other man tried to stop him, but Ichigo sent another cero between them, causing them both to stop.

"Oh you bastard. You will pay for that! Boss, I'm takin' this ass out."

"Be my guest Grimmjow. I have a few things to discuss with Kenpachi here."

"Discuss this!" Kenpachi swung his sword, but was met with Aizen's at the last moment. Ichigo took only a fraction of a second to pause before he let another cero out, but it was diffused by Grimmjow's own cero.

"Let's get this party started!" He yelled before charging Ichigo. As they fought, Ichigo could see the soldiers being beaten back by Aizen's gang. They were no match for the speed, strength, and sheer power of a half-hollow. The rumors were right. "I'm over here!" Grimmjow yelled before being blocked by Ichigo's sword. They fought for a few minutes before it was apparent that Aizen's men were winning. Even Yamamoto was now on the ground. Aizen called back his men and they all formed around him.

"It looks like your men aren't strong enough commanders. I think it's time you let us kill you."

Everyone still standing was panting and holding any wounds they had received. Ichigo had blood rushing down his chest, but he held the wound until it stopped bleeding.

"Kurosaki, I think it's time you join our side. Why would you want to be with such weaklings when you can be with the greatest army ever." Aizen spoke loudly.

"I would never want a king that knows only chaos. Sora is a good king. The people love him, and Orihime will be a great queen one day."

"Ah yes, the princess. It seems you took a liking to her by my little comments earlier. Well, when I defeat this bunch of weaklings and make it to the castle, I'll make sure to kill her quickly, but not before I let you have your way with her." Ichigo's hands felt hot. He was panting harder. He could feel the anger filling him to a point he had never felt before. "You can't have all the fun though. You have to share. Wouldn't you all like to have a taste of the princess before she leaves this world in pieces?" Some of the men behind him hollered. "Come on Lord Kurosaki, wouldn't that be fun?"

Ichigo couldn't remember the next few minutes. He blacked out. When he came to, Aizen was badly injured, and all of the men around him were now in ashes and burned parts scattered around him. Ichigo was laying on the ground, with Kenpachi looking over him. He held his head and looked up. "What happened?"

"You kicked ass. That's what happened." Kenpachi smirked and helped him up. "You don't remember?"

"No, the last thing I remember was Aizen spewing obscene things about the princess, then I must have blacked out." He shook his head.

"You let out a cero so large, all those bastards were caught up in it. They all moved in front of Aizen to protect him, but it wasn't enough. It was so condensed, none of us had to move. That's what I'm talking about!" Kenpachi hit Ichigo's back, sending him forward.

"I see. I'm glad I didn't hurt any of our men."

"You damn right."

Ichigo looked as Kenpachi took Aizen over his shoulder and flung him into the barred carriage that was brought along. The area around him was a war zone. He hadn't seen so much blood in his life. The next few hours were spent tending to the wounded, and carrying bodies to the carriages. Ichigo helped lift one onto the carriage and noticed it was the girl Ami that he knew. He squeezed her hand and said sorry. The journey back was a long one as all of the remaining soldiers were injured and dehydrated.

They were able to stop at a nearby river and get water to clean themselves and drink. Ichigo's leg was injured, and he had to limp the whole way since most of the horses were killed as well. They finally arrived at the same town they stayed at before. The townspeople took them into their homes to care for them. An older couple, who Ichigo would find out later were the town's gossipers, took him in. They tended to his leg and snapped it back in place. The town doctor came by and gave him medicine as well as a thank you for taking care of Aizen. Ichigo was visited by Kenpachi, who told the story to the couple. They were so shocked at how he had defeated everyone, that they made him a special dinner and let him drink their select spirits that were the most sought after in town. Word had already spread as the wife had only left for a few minutes, but people were already visiting him. He even had a few girls offer them to him, but he declined. He wondered how people could be so rude at a time when he was bandaged and in pain. One older man asked if he would be their next king, and that question sent his mind racing back to the princess. He only smiled and said that he may. The older man smiled and walked out. The couple finally shut the door to their house and let him sleep.

In the last moments before he slept, he thought about what the older man had asked him. He held the necklace still around his neck tight, knowing that all he wanted to do from here was to see the princess and be in her arms. That is all he felt he ever wanted for his entire life.

The next morning, the remaining soldiers grouped and thanked the townspeople for their help. They were offered carriages, which helped them greatly. They used their horses to pull the carriages and the least injured men guided the carriages through the sun lit roads until the castle was finally in view. Ichigo and others peered out from around the horses and saw the castle in view. They all sighed deeply as their hell was now over. The carriages were let in and a bell rang to signal that they were back. All the men stayed by the carriage to talk to the others that had stayed behind, but Ichigo headed straight for the castle. His clothes were replaced with a worn shirt and pants that were given to him, but the shirt remained open partially to keep the bandages from being too tight. He limped up the hill on the path towards the castle. Then he saw her. He saw her long hair flowing in the breeze. He saw her long dress bob slightly as she ran. He limped faster towards the running princess. When she reached him, she jumped into his arms. His leg almost gave out, but he was able to hold her with the good leg. He felt her tears and could hear her sobs, but the whole thing seemed surreal. He trained for so long for that moment, and then it was over in mere minutes. Now, the ordeal was over. Aizen was captured, and all he wanted was to remain in her arms. Now he finally had his wish. He let her down, but she refused to let him go. He looked down into her reddened eyes.

"I'm home."

"Welcome back." Is all she got out before he kissed her. They wrapped their arms around each other. The soldiers and servants all cheered wildly. Sora finally reached them and yelled out.

"I think this calls for a celebration! Let's pay our respects to those that have fallen first. Prepare the graves men." He looked over at his sister, now holding onto Ichigo's hand. Kenpachi walked over and put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"You wanted a hero. Here's your hero. He saved us all."

Sora turned to Ichigo and shook his hand. "Good work. Please join us tonight at the castle. I'm sure Orihime wouldn't ever let you go anyway."

"I won't!" She shouted, but then blushed and hid her face in Ichigo's shoulder. Everyone else laughed.

Sora looked at Ichigo. "We need to make a few arrangements tonight."

Ichigo looked confused. "What kind of arrangements?"

"To have you be in line to the throne of course."

"Me, why? This was just one gang. There will probably be others."

"Your actions today, made you a hero. Your future actions will make you a legend." Sora put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "You have my permission to marry my sister."

"Marry?!" Ichigo practically choked on the words. His heart was racing and he could feel Orihime squeeze his hand tighter and press herself closer to him. He looked down at her, then back at Sora. "Shouldn't we date first?"

"Sure."

"Uh, that's good."

Sora smiled and walked away. The two were left alone on the path once again. Ichigo pulled Orihime away from him and looked into her eyes. "Did you know about this?" She nodded. "Why would he say such a thing?"

"We are in love with each other he says."

Ichigo's eyes grew wide, but then he smiled at her. "So this is what it feels like." Orihime's eyes began to water and she hugged him tight.

She choked out, "I guess this is what it feels like." Before they kissed again.

"Orihime, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Of course I will, silly." Her smile shining bright. "Let's go to the castle now. I'm starving."

They walked up slowly to the castle hand in hand.

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Note: Yay! He's back. The next one is the last chapter. It's short and just wraps it all up.


	10. Chapter 10

A week after the incident, Aizen had been locked away, the dead had been buried, and most of the wounds had been healed. The king called a speech that brought many to the castle walls to hear him talk of the great half-hollow hero that was among them. Ichigo gave a short speech, but took the moment to announce his dating of the princess. The crowd cheered as they kissed in front of everyone. Orihime was rather embarrassed, but wanted everyone to know who this wonderful man was.

Ichigo took a position as a top guard and mentor, so he could stay in the castle and have ample time with his new girlfriend. After two years of dating, Ichigo proposed to Orihime in the yard while they were dancing in the flowers like they had been doing several times before. She was so excited, she nearly tripped over her own feet, but Ichigo caught her. They kissed under the moonlight, then ran in to tell everyone the big news.

Their wedding was large and included most of the soldiers and nearby townspeople. They all came out to witness the crowning of a new prince that happened shortly after the ceremony. The two lovebirds were so hard to get away from each other, that Sora had to pull Orihime away before he started the ceremony to crown him prince.

It took them almost two years before they had their first son. The servants always laughed about how long it took, seeing as how the two would always be seen running to their room at all hours of the day.

They were in love, and no one was going to tell them that they couldn't be by each other forever.

The End

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**Note: Done! I know it was a short chapter, but I wanted to quickly wrap it up in a happy ending. Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed my story. I really appreciate it.**


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